Expanded-metal structural unit



Aug. 1, 1939. A A, FABER 2,168,196

EXPANDED-METAL STRUCTURAL UNIT Fj led Nov. 21, 1936 INVENTOR erberT .F er

Inc/1Q H A ORNEY Patented Aug. 1, 1939 ,UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to an expanded-metal structural unit of the nature of a truss.

.Embodiments of the invention, preferably in dual or greater coordinating combination, may be employed in various capacities in building construction, as for instance as a beam, girder,

tually parallel slits which extend diagonally or general truss element. A particularly advantageous applicationof the invention is had in the skeleton structural'network of the floor construction disclosed in my co-pending application for .U. S. patent, Serial No. 112,102, entitled ,Monolithic slab floor construction. There, embodiments of the invention afford the desired structural characteristics for the network in a most economical and convenient manner;

Pursuant to the method of the invention employed in producing the expanded metal structural units, I prefer to prepare a blank from a desirably rectangular strip of sheet metal or the like of sufiicient rigidity and tensile strength to impart desired load supporting characteristics to the resulting unit. Along the length of the blank intermediate its lateral edge portions I provide, by any suitable cutting means, mutually parallel sets, and preferably two, of series of muacross that portion of the face of the sheet comprehended by the respective sets. The sets may be spaced apart slightly between the stated lateral edge portions, and are desirably parallel therewith. The spacing between slits of any one set is preferably uniform and of a distance determined by the required dimensions of the shear members of the resulting structural unit. Each of the intermediate slits of each set commences and terminates short of the middle of the slit preceding and the slit succeeding it, respectively, such that the distance between adjacent ends of thes'tated preceding and the stated succeeding slits measured along the slope of the slits is approximately one-half the distance of the overlap between the adjacent slits measured along the slope. of the slits, the respective sets of the slits being substantially coextensive in longitudinal formation. Transverse to the slits of any one set at an angle determined by the degree of diagonalness thereof, and at locations of terminations of the individual slits of the series, bending will take place along lines, mutually parallel, interconnecting the individual slits of each series.

Upon sliding one of thelateral edge portions of the blank in one longitudinal direction and sliding the, other lateral edge portion in the opposite longitudinal direction, the intermediate por tion of the blank buckles nicely according to the stated lines of bend, and expands outwardly from the plane of the strip by reason of theprovided slits. There thus results oppositely directed sets,

under preferred practice there will be two, of 5' shear members, connected collectively to a raised longitudinal compression member, and, respectively, to respective'lateral edge portions of the blank which lie in the same plane and function as longitudinal tension members. The shear members of any one set .are directed. diagonally opposite to the diagonal direction of the shear members .of the adjacent set. Corresponding shear members of the two sets are disposed in non-crossing relationship with each other, and, 15 preferably such that they form a series of substantially V-shaped configurations having their vertices lyingin the common plane of the two longitudinal tension members.

For. convenience of designation the single longitudinal member is termed a compression member and the double longitudinal members, i. e. the lateral edge-portions of the blank are termed tension members. Obviously, this arbitrary terminology is technically correct in reference to only certain instances of use. Therefore the terms should be regarded as. designatory only, when referring to general application of thestructural unit in building construction.

The resulting structural unit is well adapted for service in building construction, preferably in cooperative combination, dually or greater, for general truss purposes. I

'Combining of the individual structural units for cooperative function may be accomplished 35 by placing the units side by side in inverted se- 5 I quential relation and securing the raised longitudinal compression member of one unit to the contiguous longitudinal tension members of the adjacent unit 'or units.

In the drawing:

"Fig. 1 illustrates in top plan a blank of sheet metal or the like prepared for expansion pursuant to a preferred form of the invention;

Fig. 2 illustrates the blank of Fig. 1 subsequent to the expanding operation;

Fig, 3 represents a longitudinal vertical elevation of the unit of Fig. 2; 1

Fig. 4 is a top plan viewrepresenting two of the units of Figs; 2 and 3 combined in cooperative relationship; H Fig. 5 represents a transverse vertical section through the combined units of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawing, and particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3: Pursuant to the method cmployed inthe present invention a blank ID of sheet metal or the like is provided intermediate its lateral edge portions Illa and Illb with a plurality of mutually parallel slits II grouped in one or more, but preferably two, sets of series, as at I2 and I3, and extending in preferably evenly spaced relation diagonally across the intermediate portion of the blank II]. The degree of diagonalness of the slits II and their spacial relationship to one another, and the spacial relationship of the sets I2 and I3 with respect to each other are determined in any given instance by the structural requirements of the resulting unit. Preferably the sets I2 and I3 are, respectively, defined between mutually spaced lines parallel with each other and with the lateral edges of the blank I0, and are spaced apart slightly from each other.

Transverse to the slits II, in the respective sets I2 and I3, at an angle thereto determined by the desired configuration of the resulting unit and at locations of termination of the slits II, are, indicated by the mutually parallel broken lines I4, the lines along which bending takes place upon expansion of the blank-such lines of bend serving to serially connect the slits of the respective sets. Each of the intermediate slits of each set commences and terminates short of the middle of the slit preceding and the slit succeeding it, respectively, such that the distance between adjacent ends of the stated preceding and the stated succeeding slits measured along the slope of the slits is approximately one-half the distance of the overlap between the adjacent slits measured along the slope of the slits, the respective sets of the slits being substantially co-extensive in longitudinal formation.

In expanding the blank I from sheet status to structural unit status, the lateral edge portions Ma and Illb are slid longitudinally in opposite directions, see Fig. 2, until the resulting shear members I00 and IUd of sets I2 and I3 respectively have assumed the desired degree of diagonalness in a vertical plane. The shear members I0c and I 0d are directed in their diagonalness mutually oppositely, see Fig. 3.

That portion of the intermediate section of blank ID that lies in a substantially horizontal plane after expansion of the blank, indicated at Ifle, becomes the longitudinal compression member of the resulting truss formation, and the lateral edge portions Illa and lb of the blank become the tension members of the resulting truss formation. The completely expanded structural unit may be squared at its ends as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2. t

In effecting rigidity of construction resulting from the utilization of the structural units expanded pursuant to my invention, I prefer to combine two or more of the structural units in cooperative relation to one another. Accordingly, each structural unit may be provided with a plurality of rivet holes I5 mutually spaced, along the respective longitudinal members thereof according to a scheme common to each of the units.

The structural units are placed side by side, each unit being disposed in inverted relation to the immediately adjacent unit or units, see Fig. 5, the longitudinal compression member Ille of each unit being contiguous, in superimposed relation, to the proximate longitudinal tension member Illa and/or I 0b of the adjacent unit or units. The superimposed longitudinal members may be secured to one another by rivets as at I6 cooperating with the coordinated rivet holes I 5. While it is convenient. to rivet the combined structural units to one another, any other suitable fastening means may be employed, as for instance welding or bolting.

As illustrated in Fig. 5 it will be noted that the combined structural units cooperate in effecting a rigid well balanced structural network comprising a plurality of trusses extending in lateral sequence throughout the network. A particular advantageous utilization of such combined and coordinating units is had in their application to the skeleton structural network of the floor construction disclosed in my above referred to co-pending application, Serial No. 112,102.

To give added rigidity to the structural units, and to enhance the load supporting characteristics of the combination of units, the lateral edges of the shear members I00 and Illd may be bent, preferably at right angles to the body of the shear member, to provide lateral flanges (not illustrated) therefor; or any'form of crimping suitable for the purpose may be employed. It is preferred to accomplish such bending or crimping during, and desirably as a part of, the cutting and stamping operation.

Whereas this invention has been described with reference to a particular form thereof, it is to be distinctly understood that a variety of changes may be made therein'without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

l. A blank for producing an expanded-metal structural unit, comprising a strip of sheet metal having intermediate its lateral edge portions, spaced mutually parallel sets of mutually parallel and consecutively spaced, diagonally disposed, slits, each of the intermediate slits of each set commencing and terminating short of the middle of the slit preceding and the slit succeeding it, respectively, such that the distance between the adjacent ends of the stated preceding and the stated succeeding slits measured along the slope of the slits is approximately half the distance of the overlap between adjacent slits measured along the slope of the slits, the respective sets being substantially coextensive in longitudinal formation.

2. A blank for producing an expanded-metal structural unit, comprising a strip of sheet metal having intermediate its lateral edge portions, two mutually spaced and parallel sets .of mutually parallel and consecutively spaced, diagonally disposed slits, each of the intermediate slits of each set commencingand terminating short of the middle of the slit preceding and the slit succeeding it, respectively, such that the distance between adjacent ends of the said preceding and the said succeeding slits measured along the slope of the slits is approximately half the distance of overlap between adjacent slits measured along the slope of the slits, the respective sets of slits being substantially co-extensive in longitudinal formation.

3. A blank, as recited in claim 1, wherein score lines connect proximate component slits of each set of slits at locations of slit termination.

4. A blank, as recited in claim 2, wherein score lines connect proximate component slits of each set of slits at locations of slit termination.

5. An expanded-metal structural unit comprising a longitudinal member disposed intermediate and raised from the common plane of two mutually spaced longitudinal members, the three longitudinal members being substantially coextensive longitudinally; a set of mutually parallel, consecutively spaced, and diagonally di rected shear members integrally connecting the said raised longitudinal member with one of the said longitudinal members lying in a common plane; a second set of similarly mutually parallel, consecutively spaced, and diagonally directed shear members integrally connecting the said raised longitudinal member with the other of the said longitudinal members lying in a common plane, the shear members of the said second set being diagonally directed opposite to the diagonal direction of the shear members of the said first set, and corresponding shear members of the said two sets being disposed in non-crossing relationship with each other.

6. An expanded-metal structural unit comprising a longitudinal member disposed intermediate and raised from the common plane of two mutually spaced longitudinal members, the three longitudinal members being substantially coextensive longitudinally; a set of mutually parallel, consecutively spaced, and diagonally directed shear members integrally connecting the said raised longitudinal member with one of the said longitudinal-members lying in a common plane; a second set of similarly mutually parallel, consecutively spaced, and diagonally directed shear members integrally connecting the said raised longitudinal member with the other of the said longitudinal members lying in a common plane, the shear members of the said second set being diagonally directed opposite to the diagonal direction of the shear members of the said first set, and corresponding shearf members of the said two sets being so disposed with respect to each other that they form a series of substantially V-shaped configurations having their vertices lying in the said common plane of the two longitudinal members.

7. A skeleton network comprising expanded metal structural units as irecited in claim 5,

the said structural units being placed side by side in alternate inverted sequential relation such that the raised formation including the raised intermediate longitudinal member fits snugly between adjacent units on each side, the

contiguous longitudinal members of the adjacent units being secured together,

HERBERT ALFRED FABER." 

